ANSYS Workbench - 3D rope on a pulley with friction

In summary, The speaker is seeking advice on how to model a fastening device using ANSYS software. They are specifically looking for help with modeling the rope-like behavior, setting up the anisotropic stiffness matrix, and using the Mooney-Rivlin model. They also have questions about setting contact friction in only one direction and whether to use a 2D or 3D model. They have tried using the LINK180 element and the SHELL41 element, but have encountered errors. They appreciate any additional advice or hints.
  • #1
JohKar
1
0
Hello everyone,

First of all, I want to excuse for my not perfect English since it isn't my mother tongue.

However, now to my problem, which I'm facing at the moment. As part of my master thesis I have to simulate the application of a fastening device, which I develope during my master thesis. It can be mechanically compared with a pulley problem in it basic concept, but instead of one rope, it uses two ropes, which lie on top of each other. Here is a sketch of the fastening device and the strapping put around it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/v78prd92q7dcgd9/aktuelle_loesung.jpg

Before I model the whole fastening device, I want to model just one out of the three poles. It doesn't matter, if I choose the 90° or 180° setup. I already have a handwritten static mechanical calculation of the whole system, which I want to compare to the simulation. When I use just one rope instead of two and use a pretty stiff material (e.g. steel), I get results which differ just about 1% from the handwritten calculation. However, when I use two ropes, I get completely different results due to the fact, that in the model the friction is applied both ways - from the inner belt to the other belt and the other way round, while in the handwritten calculation only the normal force of the outer belt on the inner belt is taken into account. Sadly I'm really new to Ansys at all and do not know, how to set up the rope-like behaviour to continue this model. Furthermore I seek your advice on the setup of my model.

I just know, that the material is a polyester, I sadly do not have more information. I tried to contact the manufacturer of the fibre and of the belt itself, no one knows the young's-modulus of the belt or the poisson ratio, from which I could make my own material. Due to the fact that polyester (the strapping is most likely from PET-fibers) normally shows an anisotropic behaviour, this gets even more complicated. But I contacted the professor, who does his research in this field of material science at my university, and even he couldn't help me with this material data. He suggested, that I just take into account the material data in direction of the pulling force, which I can determine from the material data sheet of the fiber-producer (young's modulus: 6.76 GPa; max tensile stress: 841.8 MPa).
Here is a screenshot of my Ansys Workbench with the momentarily setup, I use: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4pdw118ne0l3js7/Screenshot 2014-01-09 14.20.14.png

Here are my questions:

1. How do I model a rope-like behaviour in Workbench? I read something about an APDL-command that could be inserted, however I can't find out, which one I have to use.
2. Is it even possible to model this model in 3D or should I do it in 2D? Since I just know the basics in Workbench, I would like to keep using this programm instead of the Ansys Classic. I would have to learn this programm just like the other one from the start.
3. Is it possible, as I described above, to set the contact friction acting just in one direction (screenshot 2 between the two belts) from the outer belt onto the inner belt, while when I apply a force to the inner belt, there is no friction acting on the outer belt. I want to apply it this way, because that is how the handwritten calculation was done.

This is what I have done so far:

- I tried to model the rope using LINK180, in which I was sucessfull. However, I didn't manage to apply any kind of friction to the model, which I need.
- I read the Elementguide and found the Element SHELL41, which can be set to "cloth-like" behaviour. However when I try to do so, I just receive an error.
- At the moment, I try to find out, how to set up the anisotropic stiffness matrix for a woven material as well as using the Mooney-Rivlin model.


Any other hints would be really helpfull too and greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

Johannes
 
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  • #2
3. Is it possible, as I described above, to set the contact friction acting just in one direction (screenshot 2 between the two belts) from the outer belt onto the inner belt, while when I apply a force to the inner belt, there is no friction acting on the outer belt. I want to apply it this way, because that is how the handwritten calculation was done.

Do you not have a tension on both the inner belt and the outer belt?

If you say pulling on the inner belt, no friction acts on the outer belt, then by what means does the inner belt not just slip out and release the tension in the strapping?
 

1. What is ANSYS Workbench?

ANSYS Workbench is a software tool used for engineering simulation and analysis. It is commonly used by scientists and engineers to model and solve complex problems in various fields such as mechanical, structural, fluid dynamics, and electromagnetics.

2. How does ANSYS Workbench simulate a 3D rope on a pulley with friction?

ANSYS Workbench uses finite element analysis (FEA) techniques to simulate the behavior of a 3D rope on a pulley with friction. This involves dividing the rope and pulley into smaller elements, applying boundary conditions and loads, and solving for the displacement, stress, and strain of each element to predict the overall behavior of the system.

3. What is the role of friction in the simulation?

Friction plays a crucial role in the simulation as it affects the overall behavior of the rope and pulley system. The friction between the rope and the pulley can cause tension, stress, and wear on the rope, which can ultimately lead to failure. Accurately modeling and accounting for friction in the simulation can help predict the performance and durability of the system.

4. Can ANSYS Workbench account for different materials in the simulation?

Yes, ANSYS Workbench is capable of simulating the behavior of different materials in the 3D rope and pulley system. It has a wide range of material models and properties that can be assigned to the rope and pulley elements, allowing for a more accurate simulation that takes into account the material properties and behavior under load.

5. How can the results from the simulation be used in real-world applications?

The results from the ANSYS Workbench simulation can provide valuable insights into the behavior and performance of the 3D rope and pulley system. Engineers and scientists can use these results to optimize the design and predict potential issues or failure points. This can help improve the overall performance and safety of the system in real-world applications.

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